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–+ servings
Bolognese sauce with parmesan and pasta in a bowl.

Bolognese Sauce

Teri & Jenny
A deliciously hearty recipe for Bolognese Sauce that's perfect for cozy nights in. This recipe makes enough for a group of people and also makes really great leftovers! Make it with pasta, or on some buns for sloppy joes!
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 53 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 3 mins
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 328 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 10 ounces lean ground beef
  • 4 ounces ground pork
  • 4 ounces sweet Italian sausage casings removed
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place Dutch oven over medium heat and melt butter and oil together.
  • Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté together until onions become translucent and vegetables soften, about 8 minutes.
  • Add ground beef, pork and sausage and break up using a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook mixture together, while stirring frequently, until meat loses its raw color, about 5 minutes.
  • Add nutmeg and milk and stir together. Simmer until milk reduces by 50%, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in canned tomatoes, including juices, and break tomatoes up with wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Lower heat to medium-low and simmer sauce for about 1 1/2 hours, occasionally stirring. If sauce becomes too dry, add ½ cup water and stir together.  
  • Adjust salt and pepper as needed and serve sauce with pasta of choice.

Notes

Best Types of Canned Tomatoes to Use for Our Bolognese Sauce

We use whole, peeled, canned tomatoes for our recipe, because we like the bits of tomatoes that remain in the sauce once it has simmered down. If you want a slightly smoother sauce, we recommend using crushed canned tomatoes, which will result in an equally delicious bolognese sauce.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

This sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Once the sauce is made, cool it and store it in an airtight container until ready to use.
When ready to use pour sauce into a pot and simmer over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring, until heated through. If sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup water to loosen. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) and serve.

Freezing

Cool sauce completely and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then pour sauce into a pot and simmer over medium-low heat until heated through. If sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup water to loosen. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 19gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 409mgPotassium: 664mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3844IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 3mg
Keyword bolognese, bolognese sauce, pasta sauce
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